Yesterday I played the first of Dick Bryant’s small scenarios for Crossfire as published on his Maximus Gluteus blog with my old sparring partner doppelgangdave. We tried “The Farm” and it was a surprisingly long and rather bloody fight, even on such a small table. In the final moments, the last surviving German rifle squad frantically rushed the bullet-holed barn and stuck it to the two defending Soviet rifle squads and their platoon commander. Iron Crosses all round!
It’s the first time I’ve had a minefield and a sniper on the table and it was fun to see those traps sprung. Sadly they were largely unsuccessful. I’ll get you next time Gadget!
Modifications
The scenarios are designed to be played on a 2’x2′ table with 15mm figures, but we were using 20mm figures so scaled up the layout to a 3’x3′ table and it worked out fine. We’ve been playing quite a few Ostfront games of late, but are still early in the war, so we decided to give the German attackers a medium rather than large mortar (in hindsight, this probably contributed to the length of the game). As we were both familiar with Crossfire, we made both sides Regulars (as suggested by Steven Thomas on the Steven’s Balagan blog).
In order to keep track of the hidden defenders, we used numbered maps courtesy of Steven’s blog, and a simple hidden unit sheet I knocked up, which you could use for any units you’d like to field. I’d recommend placing a numbered token on the tabletop next to each of the terrain features in sectors C+D to help streamline proceedings.
Crossfire Conundrum
As is not unusual when playing a relatively rules-light game like Crossfire, we came up against an unexpected situation… What happens when an HMG is close assaulted and there is a friendly 50mm mortar within 1 stand-width. Can the mortar assist the HMG in the close combat… and if so, how?
After a bit of humming and hawing we decided it could assist the HMG and made the following call on the close combat modifiers:
- -2 as the HMG wasn’t assisted by a non-weapon squad
- +1 because the 50mm mortar counts as an additional squad
- Net result combat roll of D6-1
Double-checking the rules after the game, I think we made the right call.
8.3 HMGs / Crew Served Weapons
A Weapon that fights by itself or with a PC is -2 (plus any modifier for the PC). If it fights with another non-weapon Squad or a CC it fights normally (i.e. no -2) counting as an additional Squad.
2.2 HEAVY WEAPONS
These include Heavy weapons such as: Heavy Machineguns (HMGs), 81mm Mortars, and Infantry Guns (IG)… The term Squad will be used to describe game procedures that apply equally to both Squad and Heavy Weapons stands.
8.3 Close Combat Modifiers
Each Squad Larger: +1 for each additional Squad (PCs / FOs do not count)
I hope our deliberation helps you out of a jam, when you give these small scenarios a go. And you should. What’s stopping you? They’re right here!